Two of the Same
by Atira5
Summary: When a being from another world longs for freedom and more power, she must connect to a human heart in order to obtain it. lots of plot twists! an original story. KH characters will come in later chapters :D
1. Chapter 1

Bodies collided and the ground shook. Soldiers fought relentlessly as they defended their kingdom. Beings with superior strength ravaged the battlefield, overwhelming the mere average warriors. The beings where not supposed to be violent in nature, until something made them that way.

Previously, about a year ago, one of the boarding kingdom's elders sensed something was definitely changing. That kingdom, named Enbli, consisted of beings who were blessed with superhuman abilities that allowed them to protect their world and preserve the seemingly weaker race, the Humanas. They were called the Poderous. The Humanas weren't like the average Earth humans, slightly superior, but not quite to the Poderous level. No. The Poderous were five times stronger than the Humanas and even the latter were twice as powerful as regular human. Talk about intimidating.

The elders sensed a shift in the kingdom's natural balance. Whenever something like that occurred, which was rare, it meant that someone powerful has either passed on, or left. Left, meaning, traveled to another world. And that other world could only be Earth.

Sometimes when there was a need for human hearts, some Poderous would teleport to the human world to connect with those hearts. Since the human heart had been known for a fact to be infinitely powerful, Poderous long to establish a connection with them. But not just any human can be a host.

This particular Poderous had used teleportation to reach a distant city. Occasionally, a Poderous would watch from their crystals a human with a strong heart, and hope to one day connect with them to increase their power and longevity. Even though Poderous were immensely powerful physically, their life time was slightly shorter than a humans. If they could find a strong human heart, they could live for over 200 years and have nearly infinite elemental power. Every Poderous had their unique power, based in elements such as fire, wind, ice, lighting, and so forth. That power was restrained deep in their souls until they find a worthy human heart. After that, the power is released and free to use without draining a Poderous's life energy...as long as they stay connected. If the human died it will decreased their energy but not enough to kill them. If they betray or willingly let the human die, then their energy will be cut off completely and the Poderous will vanish along with the human. Although it is a luxury, it comes with risks. That's why only few, bold Poderous attempt this ritual. Their life depended on it.

The Poderous had arrived close to her potential host's home. She had watched this human for many years, and the human had proven to be worthy. The Poderous was named Atria. She was young, but powerful. Her appearance was about that of a seventeen year old. She had jet black hair, slightly spiked down and her eyes were beautiful emerald green that seemed to glow mysteriously. She was taller than the average human teen, about 6'2 (Poderous grew faster than regular humans). Dark leather clothing showing off her lean, toned body. The Poderous appeared in an alley way, calculating how far she was from her desired destination. The human she was looking for was a young girl named Ramine. From her appearance Atria guessed she was around twelve years of age. She is still amazed at how strong her heart shined, being so young and innocent.

Atria was familiar with modern human culture, so she tried her best to fit in and be subtle. Poderous were also natural shape-shifters (as if they couldn't get more complicated) but that power was also minimal until a heart was found. She can only transform into small Earth creatures for now. As she slowly walked out, she looked to the sky to see a red glow emitting from some kind of apartment building. _That should be it. _

Atria swiftly shape-shifted into a small red bird before any pedestrian could notice. She flew in the direction of the light and soon landed on a balcony. There was a window open, so she peered inside and found it was empty. _Where could she be?. _As Atria gazed at the sun, she guessed it was about noon, which meant it was probably lunch time for humans and maybe that's why they weren't home. _Should I wait? What if someone sees me..._

As she pondered, a sound quickly interrupted her train of thought as she found a place to hide behind a pot with flowers in it. Turns out it was just a garbage man driving a truck across the street from the balcony. Surely she wasn't used to sounds of machines created by humans. Poderous were actually slightly primitive when it comes to technology compared to humans, but they make up for it with magic.

Atria patiently waited several hours until a key entered a lock and a door opened. She woke up from a lazy nap as humans poured into the apartment. There was a tall male, about mid-age with light brown hair and brown eyes. He had square glasses mounted on his nose and was wearing a tan polo shirt with dark blue jeans. There was also a female, about the same age as the male, she had dark blond hair brown eyes and wore a simple light blue dress. Based on her observations, Atria guessed they were the parents. But her human could not be seen. _Where could she be? _As to answer her thoughts, Ramine bounced into the living room with plastic bags in her hands. The little girl had blond hair, similar to her mother but lighter, bright blue eyes and wore a similar blue dress with yellow flowers. She looked a little taller than other kids Atria had seen around her age.

"Mom, can I play outside with Megan?" The human spoke. Her voice was sweet and polite, awaiting approval from her mother. "Sure, but be sure to come back before 6 o'clock for dinner, okay?". The mother answered. Her voiced sounded kind and patient as well. She took the girl's bags and placed them somewhere Atria couldn't see, then the girl ran out of the apartment and down a flight of stairs before appearing on the side walk below the balcony. Atria watched as Ramine played with another little girl who had a rope, holding it and then swinging up and over her head. Atria was fascinated by the scene, she wasn't sure about what they were doing, but it looked like fun to them. The girls were laughing and giggling as each of them tried to compete for who can jump for the longest time without stopping or tripping. Ramine seemed to always win, jumping 27 times before the other girl gave up. The event went on for about an hour, the sun about to set in the distance.

"Sorry Meg, gotta go. Mom's gonna yell at me if I'm late for dinner again..." Ramine waved good bye to her friend just as the other muttered a low "bye" as she too ran off into a house across the street. Atria bounced up as she noticed her human had walked into the apartment to greet her parents and disappear inside somewhere. Atria thought about how she could sneak inside without being spotted or heard. She quietly and swiftly flew inside, landing on some type of furniture until she saw where the girl was heading and followed her until she went into a room, then quickly sneaked inside before Ramine could shut the door. _That was close. _Atria was almost hit by the door as it closed. She quickly found somewhere to hide before Ramine could notice.

The room was spacious. It had a walk-in closet, a bathroom and a comfortable bed with a nightstand. There was a desk in a corner with a computer, surrounded by papers and some drawings on the wall, a ceiling fan, a lamp and some clothes and objects scattered around. Ramine took some folded clothes from the closet, then walked into the bathroom, closing the door. Atria wondered around the room, still in the form of a red bird, until Ramine opened the door and stepped out, clothed with some kind of t-shirt and shorts. Atria hid under the bed until Ramine left.

"Mom, I'm done" Ramine announced as her mother got the table ready for dinner. She placed the plates and silverware and then went to the kitchen to get the food. Ramine went and slid out a chair from the table and sat down. Her father walked in, also doing the same. The mother appeared with two plates,one had salad, and the other chicken. Then she went back to the kitchen and got a pot of white rice. The family peacefully ate and talked about their day, The mother had taken Ramine to the zoo and the Father joined them latter after finishing his shift at the local radio station. As time moved on, the family had finished eating, watched a movie, and where about ready to go to bed. Ramine headed towards her room just as the lights were turned off in the living room and kitchen. A click of the door was heard, and there was movement around the room. Atria shot up from sleep after she heard there was something moving around. She grumbled and shifted about under the bed, stretching her small wings and letting out a yawn. Sure, Poderous were powerful and all, but that didn't mean they couldn't get tired and that they wouldn't enjoy a nap every chance they could.

The Poderous felt the bed sink in, slowly shortening the distance between it and Atria. Soon, she heard the girl shift about on the bed, then after a few moments, silence. Atria wondered out from under the bed and fluttered onto Ramine's side. She made sure she was fully asleep before whispering something, then disappearing after a red light shone. Ramine shifter a bit before settling down again and resuming her sleep.

The connection had been successful.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ramine! Wake up! You're gonna be late for school!" A voice familiar to Ramine yet it sounded so...panicked?

The girl yawned and stretched her arms out wide until she felt satisfied. Her mother was nudging her impatiently before Ramine realized what time it was. On her nightstand, the digital clock read 7:53 am. As Ramine looked, her eyes widened and she let out an exasperated "oh my god"before she jumped out and rushed into the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. School starts at 8 am and Ramine lived 15 minutes from her middle school. _How come I didn't hear the alarm? I've never overslept before..._ Ramine thought as she finished brushing her hair. As she took a quick look in the mirror, she noticed something different.

"Mom, is it just me or is my hair darker?" Ramine mentioned to her mother as they were both getting ready to leave the apartment. "No? I don't think so..." The mother checked Ramine's hair for a minute before walking out the door, the young girl following.

They both reached the car, the mother unlocking and opening the door. Ramine hopped in and soon they were on the their way to the girl's middle school. "Honey, did you go to sleep late last night?You look tired" The mother asked. "No, I went to sleep right after you turned off the lights...I don't know why I woke up so late..." Ramine wondered. It's not like she had done anything strenuous, but she felt like something was draining her strength. _It's only a minor side effect, it will go away soon. _Ramine gasped. "What's wrong, honey?" Ramine's mother noticed her sudden outburst. "uh, nothing...it's a little cold in here, that's all" she lied. The mother turned off the air conditioning, thinking that's what her daughter wanted. Hearing weird voices in her head was new. _Am I going crazy?_ Ramine thought. It could have been her imagination, but she thought she heard a soft, amused chuckle.

_Not yet. _The voice answered. Ramine was starting to show uneasiness. _I-is someone talking to me inside my head? _

_Well, for now, yeah. Hello. _Ramine looked like she saw a ghost. Her body language was very fidgety and...panicked. Was someone talking to her inside her mind? It seemed to make sense. _Please, don't be alarmed, I'll explain everything. My name is Atria, and I am a Poderous. We come from a distant world in search for strong human hearts. If we find someone worthy, we connect to them. It makes us stronger and extends our life time. I am part of you now. _The feminine voice explained. It was beyond Ramine's comprehension at the moment, but she decided to believe this...voice inside her head. _um...w-when did you come to this world? _Ramine asked. _Yesterday, I came into your home in the form of a red bird...I didn't want to raise suspicion. I patiently waited until you were asleep so that I wouldn't startle you. Most of the symptoms of our connection are temporary. _Most?. _After a day or so, you should not feel tired or drained...but some of my traits will show as long as I'm inside your heart. _

_No wonder my hair looks darker, is that the only thing that changes?_Ramine asked. _I'm not completely certain, but there are other parts of your appearance that change._ As Atria finished, Ramine glanced at the side view mirror, noticing the color of her eyes changing. _Wh-what's going on? My eyes just turned a weird shade of green!. _Ramine panicked, and Atria sensed it. _Relax, your eyes will still have their natural color, I only wanted to show you how I can change your appearance if I wanted to. I can even appear in the flesh if I sense that you are in danger...or if you want proof that you're not going crazy. _Ramine snorted, deciding that she slowly was doing just that.

_You aren't, I know that this is beyond your understanding. It will just take some time for us to fully be comfortable with each other's existence. It's not like I'm going to hurt you or control you for no reason. There are advantages to being a host. My knowledge and strength will transfer to you as long as we are connected, even if I decide to walk around on my own...but I'm too weak at the moment to do that. You see, when I connected with your heart, my power was drained so that I didn't accidentally kill you. It will take a few more hours until I gained it back...that's why you over slept. I can gain back my energy faster that way. Sorry that I caused an inconvenience. _Atria apologized, she didn't know the human had to go to school the next day. _It's okay, as long as you don't kill me, you can stay. _Ramine reassured. She didn't want this...person to suffer either. Just not at her own cost.

As the car moved, a school was growing in the distance, slowly coming closer. A few moments later, the humans reached a middle school. Kids ran about, heading off into their classrooms after being fifteen minutes late. Ramine waved good bye as her mom swiftly drove away. The girl made sure to go to the front office to get a late pass. After that, she headed off to her class. _So this is what human schools are like_, Atria suddenly spoke. _Well, pretty much, what are yours like? _The girl asked in her own mind...which still felt kinda strange. It was pretty awkward to talk to yourself. _Let's just say they are completely different._

"Slept in this morning, did we?" The teacher announced as Ramine shyly walked into the classroom and greeted the teacher. "Sorry I'm late, good morning" Ramine murmured as she found her seat and swiftly plopped down, getting looks from other students and occasionally hearing a low "hi" from her friends.

The day went by quickly, and Atria would occasionally ask questions, from the clothes people where wearing to the food being served. Sure, Atria was familiar with human culture but it varied across this world...she didn't get a chance to learn all of it. Also, she picked up American English by observing Ramine. In her spare time, the Poderous would try to learn other languages, just for fun. Poderous could learn anything they set their mind to.

After Ramine left her last class, Atria spoke again. _Find somewhere isolated, I think I can appear in person. _Curiosity overcame the girl, and she soon found herself roaming around the schools stair case. It was empty and it was one of the few places where cameras couldn't reach. Atria could see what Ramine was seeing, so she was assured that she wouldn't be causing a scene. Ramine froze as she heard mysterious words in her head, words she couldn't understand. Before she could ask, she started glowing, a bright red light emitting from all over her, especially her chest. In a matter of minutes, Atria appeared right before Ramine, towering over her.

All Ramine could say was "oh my god....oh my"over and over again before Atria interrupted. "That's right, it's me!" Atria sounded a little too excited. Her smile looked like it belonged in one of those Colgate commercials. Her eyes shone bright green, as if competing with her smile. The clothing was opposite, dark and mysterious. Ramine just stood there, dumbfounded. After a few moments, she muttered.

"I guess I'm not crazy after all..."


	3. Chapter 3

"Your highness, It's too late..."

One of the head advisors inside the castle announced. Before he could finish, someone interrupted him. "How dare she abandon us! That little...ugh!" a harsh voice echoed throughout the chamber.

The head Elder, named Senra, was furious after hearing the news that her only daughter had vanished from this world. She realized it was for one thing. "She successfully connected, it's too late" the advisor repeated after the woman stood silent. That was the very thing Senra did not want to happen.

After a few moments, the Elder spoke, "What we can do know is make sure she stays alive, she is of great importance. If we fail, this kingdom is within the mercy of the Humanas." The woman looked to be in her mid 50's. She had dark hair just like Atria, only it was turning gray. She was tall, her eyes a pale green. Her wardrobe consisted of what appeared to be expensive material from this world. On Earth, the humans called it leather. In Enbli, only the Elders and their offspring could afford to wear it. The climate was harsh in this part of their world, so it was necessary in order to stay protected. The other citizens had their own material that can protect them just as well, but much more inexpensive of course.

The Poderous might be superhuman, but they were not indestructible. Another reason to worry, was the Humanas. Even though they were much weaker, they were the most common living thing in this world. Which meant the Poderous run the risk of an invasion. The Poderous made a treaty with the Humanas. If they didn't invade and cause problems for the Poderous, they will in exchange protect them. If not, they will not hesitate to wipe them out.

Senra had four other children. Her concern was more for Atria, she was the youngest. Atria's brothers where the ones who protected Enbli borders and kept the kingdom safe from intruders. Sometimes rebellious Humanas tried to over run Poderous territory out of greed. This is why a border was established. It needed Poderous to constantly supply it with magic, otherwise it would fail. Without Atria, her brothers could only last so long. For some reason, their sister was extremely powerful compared to other female heirs. That only raised more concern as the Elders realized why the natural balance of this world shifted greatly.

"Our only hope is that we can keep our people safe long enough to get her back" Senra spoke. "We cannot retrieve her at this moment, she is too weak. She needs time to regain her full strength and master her inner powers. Her connection is also not fully established, it has only been mere hours on Earth." A male Elder finished. He was Atria's uncle, named Bernos. He was younger than Senra but was very wise. The Elders were made up of eight Poderous, two from each of the most powerful families in Enbli.

"We can only wait...'

"I'm a little hurt that you didn't believe in me..."

"What did you expect? We've only known each other for a few hours! Plus, it's not exactly everyday that I have some girl living inside my head!". Ramine, still in shock, was currently shouting at the dark-haired figure before her. "Okay, I understand...you didn't have to shout" Atria raised her hands up defensively. "Technically, it's your heart, but I guess your mind counts too"Atria corrected. Ramine just let out a sigh and continued. "Why did you choose me? Aren't there plenty of other humans you could of taken advantage of?". Atria made a face, feeling offended. "You have one of the strongest hearts I've ever felt or seen. And no, Poderous don't take advantage of humans...not the nice ones, anyway. If we want to unlock our inner powers, we have to connect with humans. It's the only way we can become even more powerful and last longer." The Poderous explained. Ramine's expression soften as she seemed to comprehend. Somehow Atria felt like she would understand the first time she explained, but when Ramine was under pressure or shock, she acted completely different. Atria made a note of that for later observation.

"But...why now? Haven't you been watching me? What kept you from connecting to me over the years?". Ramine asked, "...Because..." Atria hesitated. She was sure it was too much for the young girl to understand. "Because I wanted to be free." Ramine snorted. Wasn't Atria dependent of her? That didn't exactly qualify as freedom.

"What do you mean? Weren't you free before you connected with me?" _This girl is persistent_. "Not exactly, I'll explain later...your mother is coming" Ramine whipped around and noticed a car driving in behind her. The staircase was beside the outside of the school building, in front of the pick-up area. As Ramine looked back to where Atria was, she had disappeared. "where did she-" Before she could finish, a voice interrupted. _I'm in here_. Ramine felt something warm in her chest. _I can't let your mother see me._

_Oh, right. _Well, of course, how would anyone react to their daughter talking to some freakishly tall, mysterious girl?

Ramine's mother pulled up to the curb, waiting for her daughter to get in. "How was your day, sweetheart?"The mother asked. "Pretty average, I have a project to work on for science" The girl answered.

"When is it due?"

"In two weeks. It's about photosynthesis...how plants use light in order to make food for themselves" Ramine casually explained. "Don't leave it to the last minute like last year" The mother warned, getting an annoyed response from her daughter. "okaaaayyy mom, I'll have it done by then".

Ramine and her mother reached their apartment. As her mother unlocked the doors and was about to step out, Ramine felt something. _Don't get out of the car. Tell your mom to stay put. I sense danger. _The young girl grew stiff, but she quickly thought of something. "Mom, wait! Uh, we need to buy supplies for the project...can we go to the store?" The mother successfully took her attention away from exiting the car. "Alright, we'll go to the store around the corner". As she finished, the voice spoke again. _Good. There are strangers in your apartment. It would be safer to go leave for now. You need to find some place isolated when you get to the store. Tell her you'll be right back. _Ramine internally agreed, and soon they arrived at the store. After they got out, Ramine spoke. "Mom, I'm gonna go to the bathroom for a sec, I'll be right back, okay?" The mother agreed, and the girl searched for the bathroom inside the store. Once she made sure there was no one there, she felt a slight emptiness...and...

"Hey again, I'll be right back." Atria spoke.

"Alright, but...what's going on?" Before the girl finished, the dark figure was gone.

Back at Ramine's apartment, shuffling could be heard. "Are you sure there's money here?" A man asked, "I don't know, just keep looking" The other man answered. The two men had entered into the house through an open window by the balcony. As they searched through the house, someone else appeared, "Who are you?" A stern, threating voice was heard. The two men spun around, terrified. "Where did this girl come from? Do something man!" One of the intruders grew nervous, "Run!" The two man tried to run out of the apartment through the front door, but failed. The dark-haired girl had grabbed them both and threw them out the open window. The men landed on the sidewalk, one was screaming in pain and the other was silent. "Ray! Ray! Get up! We gotta run, man!" The other man shook the silent body laying near him, now known as Ray. The man didn't respond, but he was showing signs of breathing. "He's unconscious, I suggest you flee before I report you to the authorities." The dark-haired figure had appeared beside the nervous man. His eyes were darting around in terror. He lifted up his unconscious accomplice, carrying him, and then darted down the street, disappearing.

Atria swiftly teleported back to where Ramine was waiting. Meanwhile, the girl walked around in circles inside the bathroom, patiently waiting. Then, a red flash suddenly appeared ,"I'm Back. There were robbers inside your home...I took care of them."Atria started. Ramine's eyes widened, "Robbers?! Did they take anything? Did you kill them?! What happened?" ask the girl shouted, Atria simply put a hand up in the air. "Listen, I'm not sure if they took anything. I didn't check the apartment, but I didn't see them with anything. They are still alive, although one of them was unconscious. You're safe." As Atria explained, Ramine seemed to calm down. "It...was my fault. I accidentally left the window open when I first came into your home....I'm sorry." The dark figure apologized, showing signs of feeling guilt.

"It's okay, Atria, you didn't know...everyone makes mistakes." As Ramine finished, she gave the dark-haired figure before her a quickly hug. "Thank you for keeping us safe...and I don't blame you." And, At that moment, Atria confirmed....

_This was exactly why I chose you..._


	4. Chapter 4

"_I can do this"A young girl with dark hair spoke. There was a great wall that shone in the evening sun. Standing before it, the young girl whispered strange words. As she finished, a bright light appeared. Suddenly, it engulfed her and a loud 'boom' was heard. A body collapsed to the ground, never seeing what was coming. The girl quickly turned around as she realized she wasn't alone. She rushed to the motionless body's side, shocked as she learned who it was. Overwhelmed by sobs, the young girl pleaded "Cithe, get up! Please, don't die on me! wake...up..." When the young boy lay silent, she spoke again, "I-I-I'm so sorry... forgive me! Cithe...I'm so sorry..." She gently shook the young boy by the shoulders, then slowly cradled him. A moment later, everything dissolved away into darkness. _

Ramine suddenly woke up, gasping. It was 5:30 in the afternoon and her mother was preparing for dinner. Ramine must of fell asleep while working on her science project.

"What was that? A dream?" Ramine thought out loud as she got up from her desk and walked towards the kitchen.

_Sometimes, my memories can leak into your dreams. The same thing can happen to me, too. We share our thoughts and past subconsciously._

"_Hm, really? That's strange...then that must of been a memory from your past, right?"_ Ramine asked. That's_ right. The day Cithe died was pretty traumatic. It's been haunting me for years. _

"_Who's that?" _

_He was my closest childhood friend._

"_What happened to him?"_

_It's a long story. Your mother wants to know if you want mashed potatoes. _Atria changed the subject and Ramine quickly answered back to her mother. "Sure mom, and broccoli too!"

Since the incident that occurred a few days ago, Ramine has not been getting a good night's sleep. The only time she does get to rest easily is in the daytime, when her parents are in the house. Atria assures her that she will be safe, even if Ramine is asleep, because Atria can always stand guard in person. If she senses any danger, she can take care of it without the young girl even noticing. On a casual afternoon, two days later, Atria decides to open up to Ramine. After all, they will have to be around each other for a long time.

Atria was in Ramine's room, observing the interesting drawing on the wall before she spoke,"Cithe was my best friend when we were kids..." Atria started, " One day, when I was first learning about keeping up the border, there was an accident..." Ramine turned her head to face Atria, "I was very young and not fully aware of what I was capable of. Cithe was supposed to be in his home with his parents, but for some reason he decided to follow me to the city's borders" Atria continued, "When I used magic on the boarder, it got out of control and I didn't see Cithe running up to me until it was too late..." Sadness was beginning to show on Ramine's face, "It was my fault he died...If I would of trained more I-" Tears where slowly traveling down Atria's cheek, sobs interrupting her sentence. A grave look

formed on Ramine's face as she felt Atria's guilt and sadness. "He was only 10, just like me...if only I would of listened...but I was too stubborn... "Atria continued to struggle with sobs until she finally just let it out.

"Atria, it's okay. you can't change the past, you can only keep moving forward. There's nothing you could of done to prevent it." Ramine attempted to comfort Atria, the latter only continuing to cry softly. After a while Atria was back to normal, soon deciding to take a nap while Ramine continued working.

"Hey, how come you get to sleep?" Ramine said in an amused tone. She was cutting out some construction paper before she glanced at her bed and saw the Poderous fast asleep, her feet dangling off the edge of the bed since she was too tall to fit in it. Ramine let out a chuckle as she watched Atria slowly turn to the side before falling hard on the wood floor. "Ow...ow..." Atria grumbled as she rubbed the back of her head. Ramine let out a loud laugh as Atria slowly got up, groaning, "Ugh, why does your bed have to be so small?"

"Sorry, my parents are lazy, so they just kept the same bed forever," Ramine answered in a as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Atria let out a sigh of annoyance. She was having such a nice dream!

"Well then, I'll just have to make you lay next to the bed so that I can have a soft landing if I fall next time," Atria grinned mischievously.

"Why can't you just sleep inside my heart?" Ramine asked curiously. Wouldn't that be better?

"Because there is no bed," Atria answered with an amused tone. Ramine just let out a sigh. Well, that made sense. "It's not like I'm on vacation in there...it's just of way of being able to protect you all the time...other wise it would be weird to have some random person following you in everywhere."

"Oh, right." sometimes Ramine seemed to be so wise, but other times... just downright slow. No offense.

"Hey...could you help me out with this project?" Ramine suddenly asked.

"Why? You were doing fine without me before," Atria really didn't want to do a humans homework. It felt degrading for a Poderous, mostly because it seemed like being more like a servant than a protector.

"Pleeeeeaseee?" Ramine pouted, hoping to make the Poderous do what she wanted. "Oh yeah, like that's gonna make me do anything, pft" Ramine's efforts had no effect on the Poderous. "Pretty pretty please? I'll let you eat my M&M's!" Again, Atria was indifferent to Ramine's bribing.

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"PLEASE!"

"...N-O"

"...please..." Ramine made a face, like she was about to cry. Atria ignored it. "...please..." Ramine repeated one last time before Atria finally gave up, "...fine. What do you need help with?" soon Ramine explained what she wanted help with and Atria made the effort to get it done. A couple of days later, Ramine turned in her project and received a B+ for it. Ramine was a tinge disappointed since she thought she was gonna get an A with Atria helping her.

_Heh. Better luck next time. _Ramine could hear a certain voice mocking her. "_Meanie!"_

_Hey, at least I helped you somewhat. It's better than nothing. _Ramine made a 'hmph' sound as she could clearly hear Atria's uncaring tone in her voice. Like a Poderous living inside a heart would care about schoolwork. Or grades. Or money, or anything, for that matter.

_Uh, excuse me, but would you rather have been hurt or even killed by robbers inside your home that time? I didn't think so. _Atria responded as Ramine quickly stiffened and shook her head. She did have a point there. That was pretty scary.

_I do care._

"We're moving"

"What!"

"We can't live here anymore, they raised the rent again," Ramine's mother explained.

"B-But, what about school? And my friends?," panic was slowly rising in Ramine's voice. Why did those landlords have to be so greedy.

"Honey, we can't afford 965 dollars every month, it's either we move an hour away or we become homeless" The mother explained as Ramine lowered her head, sulking.

"I don't want to be homeless..."

"Sweetheart, don't worry about it, we'll be fine. Plus, you can make new friends and I heard the school there is one of the best in the state."

"...I guess it won't be that bad..."

_At least she'll be safer there, wherever this new place is..._


End file.
